by Kaylee Bellamy, Class of ’11
GBWHS Senior KayLee Bellamy is applying to six art colleges this fall. One of the tasks in her application process was to create a self-portrait, and to write an artist’s statement. Here’s an excerpt:
My current work reflects on my past, but also speaks of my future. Attending Waldorf schools since kindergarten, I’ve been taught through art as the bases of learning.
The comparison of my work at home and my work in class shows a distinct difference in the ways I choose to communicate. At home I have sketchbooks filled with pen and marker figures in love, in despair, in agony, all expressed through gesture. These drawings are from my imagination, influenced by feelings and things I’ve seen. During art classes, my paintings with watercolors, acrylics, and oils, carvings of wood and stone, and sculptures with clay and metal are more guided. Each art block focuses on one medium, starting with an introduction, which then leads to a final piece.
The contrast of my pieces in class with home is, primarily, that in class I know what I’m going to draw, and how it’ s going to turn out. In my sketchbook, drawings might turn out completely different from what I had intended at the start. I like this about my work, because at home I experiment with changing styles and in school, I can choose which
tech-niques to use during class. Most of my final pieces consist of realistic scenes with brightly colored figures and landscapes. For instance, when I paint with watercolor, I draw a quick sketch first, bringing it to life by combining yellow, red, then blue, the three colors I always use for the base.
I believe anyone can make art; there is no right way. Art is something personal that comes from within. When learning to ride a bicycle, nobody could ride it for me, I had to find a way to learn how on my own. I feel with the variety of mediums I’ve used, I’m still learning how I can master each one, just like finding how to pedal with each foot. I appreciate all kinds of art, which is mainly why I’m not set on one medium of choice. Because I don’t restrict myself, I’m able to view and expand on my learning of art. Being open to any forms of art, and wanting to know more about other arts yet to discover, shapes how I see my future as an artist.